Minute Musings...Squeezed

Have you ever taken a orange, squeezed it and got apple juice?  I think you'd be pretty
surprised to take a drink of freshly squeezed carrot juice and find that you are really
drinking pineapple juice!  When we squeeze something we expect what's inside to be
what is represented on the outside don't we! 

Do you realize that we are squeezed on a daily basis by the trials and tribulations of
this life?  What comes out shows what we are really made of.  If our roots are planted
in this old sinful world then what will come out will be frustration, bitterness, anger
and discontent.  If we are rooted in Christ Jesus then that which will show forth will
be the fruits of the Spirit of God.  Galatians 5:22  & 23 "But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:" 

The heart cannot hold the flesh and the Spirit at the same time.  When things are going
good, we might be able to fool those around us, but it is in the dark, troublesome times
of life, that what is in our hearts becomes visible to others.  Don't expect the love of God
to come forth during difficult moments when your heart contains the garbage of this world. 
Only those who are walking in the Spirit, surrendering daily to the Master, will exhibit the
heart of Christ under pressure.  So don't expect to see something good and pure flow from
your heart during those hard times when you haven't planted the good seed in your heart in
the first place!

We are exhorted in Proverbs 4:23 to "Keep (guard) thy heart with all diligence:  for
out of it are the issues of life."  It is of utmost importance that we guard our hearts against
this sinful worlds influence.  We need to keep our bodies, minds and hearts under  the control
of the Holy Spirit of God.  Remember, when you are put into the "winepress" of tribulation,
what is in your heart will be poured out for all to see.

Psalms 51:10  "Create in me a clean heart, O God:  and renew a right spirit within
me."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16ZNR9g3fFQ





Minute Musings...God Of The Valley

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to feel close to the Lord when you are on the
mountain top?  You are feeling great, things are going your way...you're on the top of
the world.  However, what happens when you are trudging along in the Valley of despair,
hurt, sorrow, discouragement?  The Lord seems to be a million miles away doesn't He!
May I tell you something, it is when we are at our weakest that the power of God can be
seen the most clearly in our lives...if we are surrendered and seeking His guidance and
will!  So why do we feel so separated from our Lord when we are going through the
tribulations of this life?  It's because we are allowing our troubles to create a wedge
between us and God instead of letting them be the glue that bonds us tightly to our
Savior!

We are not meant to dwell in the valleys, we are to walk through them.  We read this
in Psalms 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil:  for Thou art with me:  Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."
Have you put down roots and are dwelling in the valley?  We are to WALK THROUGH
them!  We are not alone in our troubles, pain and sorrows, He walks with us!  The
same God that we commune with on the mountain tops is our comfort and guide in
the valleys. 

I encourage you to thank God for these valleys in your life.  They are meant to draw us
nearer to our Savior, to purge us of the sins of this world, and to set our gaze upon our
eternal home.  Remember that the God of the valley is the same God of the mountain, let
Him restore your soul today!

 

 



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTl4tUYIAg

Minute Musings...Walking On Water

How often do we blame our "bad" day on the weather, work problems, family problems,
financial worries, physical ailments or...(the list could be endless!)  It's really easy to shift
the blame to someone or something else isn't it!  However the reality is, that we CHOOSE
the kind of day we have!  I can already hear the arguments forming in your mind about
that statement, but if you're honest with yourself, you will have to admit that I'm telling
the truth. 

The secret to having a joyful life lies not in the circumstances around us, but in the
peace of the Lord within us!  We choose whether to be joyful or unhappy, whether
to have an attitude of contention or peace; whether to be angry or peaceful...it's up to
us!  There will always be storms in our lives, times of distress, pain, sorrow and
uncertainty;  but the one thing constant, that we can always count on, is the Lord our
God!

Psalms 94:22  "But the LORD is my defence;  and my God is the rock of my
refuge."

Defeat, despair, discouragement and hopelessness can easily overwhelm the child
of God when we focus on the difficulties we face instead of the loving Savior Whom
is Master over all.  The Apostle Peter learned this valuable lesson when the Master
bid him to take His hand and step out of the safety of the boat into the wild waves
of the storm.  Matthew 14:28 - 31  "And Peter answered Him and said, Lord,
if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.  And He said, Come.  And
when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to
Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid:  and beginning to
sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately, Jesus stretched forth
His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore
didst thou doubt?"

Peter was able to do the impossible when he kept his eyes on Jesus and had faith
that the Lord would hold him up.  However, when his eyes strayed to the storm, his
faith wavered and he began to sink.  Notice the word, "immediately", Jesus was
there!  Do you realize that when we trust Jesus, when we keep our eyes on Him
instead of the storm swirling about us, that we are walking on water!  We can
experience the same victory as Peter did in the storms of our lives!

How is your day going?  Are you rejoicing in the middle of tribulation and pain?
Keep your eyes on the blessed Savior, and walk on water today!

Matthew 14:32 & 33  "And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased,
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth
Thou art the Son of God."



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjmxiF0CkVs&list=PLUVRsVBd3tUzvtgcAUnV4KWkx05yMB6GV



Minute Musings...Beyond Blessed

We live in the "I want" generation.  Kids are being raised with a "give me", "I deserve"
attitude.  One of the obvious problems with this is that they will never learn to be happy
with what they already are blessed with.  Unfortunately this mind set will go with them
into adulthood.  These are the people who always want bigger and better.  No house is ever
big enough;  car lavish enough; clothes highended enough;  schools exclusive enough; 
possessions expensive enough;  and sadly spouses not rich or pretty enough.  Everything
is based on eye appeal.  What they fail to realize is that all these things fade with the years. 
They are looking for true happiness in "things."

A child of God knows that true happiness will never come from worldly possessions.  You
hear all the time, "If I only had _____ I would be happy!"  However that is not true, in time
you will end up with something faded and worn, and you will constantly crave even more. 

Instead of focusing on what you think you want or need, focus on what you already have in
Christ!

We have a Savior!  Matthew 1:21  "And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt
call His name JESUS;  for He shall save His people from their sins."

We have eternal life!  John 10:27 & 28  "My sheep hear my voice and I know them,
and they follow me;  And I give unto them eternal life:  and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

Jesus is coming again!  John 14:2 & 3  "In my Father's house are many mansions;
if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also."

God's promised peace!  John 14:27  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto
you;  not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid."

We have the gift of salvation!  Romans 6:23  "For the wages of sin is death;  but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

God's comfort!  2 Corinthians 1:4a  "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,"

We have liberty in Christ!  Galatians 5:1  "Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke
of bondage."

God's promised provision!  Philippians 4:19  "But my God shall supply all your
need (not wants!) according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

We have God's promised faithfulness!  1 Thessalonians 5:24  "Faithful is He that
calleth you, Who also will do it."

God's promised wisdom!  James 1:5  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and unbraideth not:  and it shall be given
him."

We have the love of God!  1 John 1:16  "Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because He laid down His life for us:"

This is by far an incomplete list of God's blessings...in fact His blessings are like the
stars in the heavens or the sands upon the shores;  we cannot begin to fathom all that
God has bestowed upon His children.  So why is it then that we become so dissatisfied
and unhappy in this life?  It is because we take our eyes off of our blessed Savior and
start looking at this world, and before long we start longing for the perverted images of
happiness that it shows us.  We see this illustrated in the story of the prodigal son found
in Luke 15:11 - 24.  This young man had everything he could want in his father's home.
But greed took over, he demanded his inheritance and left.  For a while the world
entertained and satisfied him, but soon his fortune was gone, friends left, and he found
himself alone, hungry and looking after pigs.  His greed had brought him to ruin.  The
world had enticed him...and then forsaken him. 

Keep your eyes fixed solely on your Heavenly Father and His blessed promises.  There
is a childrens chorus that goes like this;  "Every promise in the book is mine, every
chapter every verse, every line.  All the blessings of His love divine;  every promise in
the book is mine."  Remember you are beyond blessed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJursNxC63o&list=PL4A9D6307D83E8FFC&index=4

 



Minute Musings...Striving For Excellence

The Pan Am Games have started and Toronto is in a state of high energy and enthusiasm!
The Pan American Games is a major sporting event which is held every four years.  This
year Toronto is hosting over 5000 athletes from July 20th to 26th.  They will be competing
in 36 sports with nearly 400 events.  These determined athletes have sacrificially devoted
time, effort and finances in preparation for these games.  Their lives were put on hold as
they gave their all in the pursuit of excellence and ultimately GOLD.

 

 

How would you view an athlete who took to the race track, only to be out of breath and

limping within the first few minutes? Their performance shows without a doubt that there

was little to no preparation for the race.  They put no effort into the training required to

even run the race, let alone compete for the gold.

 

I'm afraid that as Christians, there are many times that we attempt to run the race that

is before us without any training or preparation.  We might start strong, but soon the

hardships of the race take their toll on us, and we stumble and fall. 

 

1 Corinthians 9:24 & 25  "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but

one receiveth the prize?  So run, that ye may obtain.  And every man that striveth

for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible

crown;  but we an incorruptible."

 

An athlete goes through months of intense training, they become "temperate" in their

living.  The definition for temperate is, "moderate, abstemious, not extreme."  They

become disciplined in their lifestyle.  Tempered steel is steel which goes through a

controlled heating process.  The end result of this environment is increased strength.

A temperate soul is an individual that has increased spiritual strength due to the heating

process of trials and tribulations which they have endured.  Trials increase our faith, our

patience...in fact, the whole list of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 & 23  "But

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.") increases with our dependency

and submission to the Lord.  We thus become "temperate in all things," ready for the

race.

 

Don't throw aside your training today because you find it too tough.  We have a goal, a

prize that we are striving for, don't quit when you have come so far.  Stay close to God

through prayer and His precious Word.  Keep striving for excellence in the race which

is set before you.

 

Philippians 3:13 & 14  "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but 

this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth

unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the

high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK9TJ8BaVmM



 



Minute Musings...He Will Carry You

We like to think that we are invincible don't we!  There is nothing that we cannot handle.
We are tough and capable, we don't need to rely on anything or anybody...we are fully
self-reliant.  Wow, are we ever conceited, and wrong!  The truth is that we are at our
strongest when we realize we are at our weakest.  You might be shaking your head at that
statement, but if you stay with me, I'll show you what I mean.

The Apostle Paul had this to say in 2 Corinthians 12:10, "Therefore, I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's
sake:  for when I am weak, then am I strong."  What he is saying is that it is when he
is at his weakest, that is when the power of God can shine fully in his life.  Christ can only
shine in a life that is surrendered to Him.  When we stop trying to solve our problems in
our own strength and reasoning, then we have the strength of God present with us.

What do you rely on to carry you through the trials and tribulations of this old sin cursed
world?  Do you turn to God, or do you start finding your own solutions?  I'm afraid that
sometimes we tend to view trials like we would a math problem.  We struggle to figure
it out, putting obsessive effort into finding the solution that is in reality staring us in the
face!

We look at different options that appear as if they might work...should we turn to our
friends?  NO, God tells us in Micah 7:5a  "Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not
confidence in a guide:"  Can we trust in wisdom?  NO, God tell us this in Proverbs
23:4b about wisdom, "Cease from thine own wisdom."  What about riches, can we
depend upon them?  NO, God warns us in Psalms 62:10b, "If riches increase, set not
your heart upon them."  What about ourselves, can we place our trust here?  NO,
Proverbs 3:5b & 7a has this to say, "Lean not unto thine own understanding.  Be not
wise in thine own eyes."

So where can we find help if not in our friends, wisdom, riches or even ourselves?  The
solution to our difficulties is actually very easy...our solution is God. You need to understand
that the tribulations and burdens that are weighing you down are weightless to Him.  Why
keep struggling when He can so effortlessly pick not only our problems up, but...He will
carry us too! 

We have this tremendous promise found in Isaiah 46 verse 4, "And even to your old
age, I am He;  and even to hoar hairs will I carry you:  I have made, and I will bear;
even I will carry, and will deliver you."

Stop struggling today with the things of this world that overwhelm and burden you down.
Your loving Savior is waiting to pick you up...let Him!

 





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GIHDTxL0Ys&list=PLf18bmmC4Qcj1r3Jajeu5FroLqrNIGHo8&index=17

Minute Musings...Are You Throwing A Party?

So, what do you do on those days when you just can't stop crying?  The world and it's
cares, pressures and trials seem to be on the verge of capsizing your little storm-beaten
ship and you're ready to call it quits.  I know you all have days of struggle like this, I do!
The real temptation on days like this is to just sit right down in the midst of the troubles
and have yourself a good pity party!  I'm good at throwing party's like this!  You don't
have to have any guests, all the entertainment is up to you, you don't have to share your
junk food, and best of all..."it's my party and I'll cry if I want too!"  Yep, it's party time
and I'm going to pout, cry, and throw a hissy fit... cause things aren't going my way!

 



Have you heard of "cause and effect?"  The "effect," seen or unseen always has a cause. 
When we get ourselves to this point, there is only one cause...we have taken our eyes off of
the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is pretty easy to understand that if you are not looking at one thing
then you have to be looking at something else.  With our eyes off of God and His precious
promises, we start looking at the tribulations, worries and sorrows that are swirling all around
us.  His promises take a backseat to the trials we see. 

 

Matthew 11:28 - 30  "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will

give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me:  for I am meek and lowly in

heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is

light."

 

"I will give you rest...ye shall find rest..."  With our eyes off Jesus, we leave ourselves open

to the attacks of Satan.  He will do all within his power to bring you to a defeated, depressed

end.  Instead of giving in and throwing a pity party, you need to get alone with God.  With

your eyes freshly fastened on His loving face you will find your heart and mind restored,

replenished and refocused.  Your loving Savior is waiting today to give you the rest you so

desperately need.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiRK2gu-KQQ